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Scottevest's Carry-On Coat houses all of your portable electronics, stolen hotel shampoo bottles
Truth be told, it's been awhile since we've seen a gadget-laced jacket that really caught our eye. There's the occasional winter coat with a built-in iPod slot, and there's a few unaffordable threads that don't much matter to the vast majority of you, but it's difficult to think of a single overcoat that's as connected as this. Teased by Scottevest, the forthcoming Carry-On-Jacket is as functional as it is delightful, with an internal pocket made specifically for touchscreen devices so you'll never even have to reach inside to skip tracks. There's also an internal Personal Area Network (PAN), a dedicated BlackBerry (or any smartphone, really) holder, passport pouch, a digital camera compartment, iPad pocket (er, "PadPocket") and a separate area made specifically for those zip-locked liquids that you'll need easy access to at the TSA screening zone. Needless to say, the avid traveler with a pinch of geek lust should be grinning from ear-to-ear just gazing at this masterpiece, and honestly, we could see this converting even the hardest of hardcore Rollaboard warriors. Now all we need is a price and release date, STAT.
Pocket protector, meet your cousin: the iPad suit
Apple products often spawn ecosystems of product categories to facilitate their existence. The iPod and iPhone, for instance, gave birth to speaker docks, FM transmitters and protective cases. And now an ecosystem of products is materializing for the iPad: they include cases of all sorts, bean bag lap rests and, yes, clothes. Suits, to be specific. Upscale Manhattan tailor Mohan's Tailor Shop, which boasts a clientele including Barry Bonds, Walt Frazier and Gary Carter, recently unveiled a custom made suit with a jacket pocket to accommodate the iPad (as reported in the WSJ). The impetus for it was the result of several customer requests for the feature; since its unveiling, the tailor says it has received about "100 calls and scheduled several dozen appointments with customers over the next several weeks" for a fitting. Mohan's must be pulling off some magic of its own to fit Apple's "magical" device in a jacket pocket. At 1.6 pounds, I'm guessing the iPad may pull one side of the jacket lower than the other, thus necessitating some kind of counterbalance. Personally, I'd rather just use a bag. [via Cult of Mac]
Acronym's PMP-loving jacket keeps your earbuds safe, murders your bank account
Sure, the Acronym GT-J14 won't even charge your iPhone, but at first glance we loved the idea: take a stylish GORE-TEX jacket and throw in a couple slick features aimed at the eager urban technophile, including a so-called Gravity Pocket (accessible by a zipper on your forearm, contents can be dropped directly into your hand using a draw string -- demonstrated about 2:25 into the video after the break) and our personal favorite, a magnet that holds your headphones in place while you take that important phone call. We were feeling pretty good about this one, that is, until we finally tracked it down: azitastore.com lists it for €735 (yes, that's around $1,068). This is clearly only for those of you who put the word "disposable" in "income." Looks like we're going to have to find another way to keep our Lady Gaga headphones safe and secure, after all... [Via Gadget Review]
Touchscreen-based Modu 2 coming in 2010 (updated)
Modu finally came through with an actual product launch late last month, and already the company is preparing for the next best thing. According to a report over at Pocket-lint, a so-called Modu 2 should make its debut in a few corners of the globe next year. The handset will boast full touchscreen functionality and 3.5G connectivity, but in an effort to remain true to form, Modu will sell a QWERTY jacket that adds hard keys for those who just have to have 'em. To date, Modu has managed to move around 1,000 of its original handsets, but even the second one won't soon see shelves in America. Why? According to CEO Dov Moran, the handset "just isn't good enough for demanding Brits and Americans who like to surf the internet and stay connected." Hey, at least the man's honest.Update: The CEO of Modu pinged us to say that some of the quotes in the source article were incorrect. Here's his comment: "Clearly, our next generation modu 2 which will be touch+ based and will incorporate 3.5G technology will fit the needs of these opertors and we plan and hope to sell these devices throughout the world."
Modu actually launches in Israel, gets hands-on treatment as proof
You know, we really didn't believe it at first, but looks like Modu has finally launched in some part of the world, and just as rumored, the inaugural carrier is the Israel company's local network Cellcom. Likely because they knew we still wouldn't be convinced, the crew at Mobo have gone hands-on with the phone. All in all, no difference from what we saw back in February -- jackets and all -- but hey, it's crossed a major threshold and hit "retail product" status. So is it time to talk about touchscreens yet?
Modu cellphone reportedly launching this week in Israel
Take this one with a grain of salt, but word from across the Atlantic is that Modu will finally (finally!) launch its long-awaited, self-titled handset in just a few days. If you'll recall, we actually toyed with the revamped handset as well as a few "jackets" back at MWC this year, but at that point, no one wanted to share any details surrounding the grand launch plan. Now, however, a report from Israel states that the phone -- along with one jacket -- will go on sale this Wednesday (July 22nd) for 500 Israeli shekels, or right around $130. So, does this mean that elusive touchscreen Modu is just a few days/weeks/months away, or what?[Thanks, Dror]
Kolon's heated Sport Life Saver III makes a trip to Yellowknife totally doable
Kolon's Sport Life Saver III doesn't include any fancy extras like built-in Bluetooth, speakers or a pocket specially designed to keep old tater tots warm, but it does include an integrated heating module to keep your blood from chilling. Redesigned from the ground-up, this here coat sports a supple Gore-Tex Proshell 3L shell, a "survival kit," compass and a translucent hood. The standout feature, obviously, is the HEATEX function which provides heat of around 95 or so degrees Fahrenheit, though we're not told exactly how it's powered. Sadly, we're also left clueless when it comes to pricing and availability, but those who've been avoiding the slopes for fear of frigidness will probably pay just about anything.[Via BeSportier]
This Nintendo jacket is the perfect gift for no one
Listen, we try not to take a hard line against any product on Joystiq. After all, everyone's got to make a living, especially in these troubled economic times. But we have to speak up against the above garment, now available from 80stees.com.To sell a jacket emblazoned with the words "Muggers: Please Kick the Ever-Loving Crap Out of Me and Steal All My Money Because These Sleeves Aren't Hiding Anything But Bones and Translucent Skin" seems irresponsible. But to charge $200 for it? Shameful.[Via Engadget]
NES Controller Varsity Jacket would be more awesome with awesome models
At first glance, we actually gagged upon seeing the jacket pictured above. Immediately after regaining our composure, we wondered how on Earth such a magnificent piece of retro kit could have such a negative impact on our lives -- then, it hit us. It's the dude. Seriously. Strap this $200, limited run jacket on anyone even remotely beautiful and we'd bet you too would see things differently. Or maybe it is just obscenely tacky, but it'd be much less so on anyone other than this fellow.[Via OhGizmo]
New charger sends power to batteries through Wii Remote jackets
Teknocreations has unveiled their InCharge battery pack and charge stand for Wiimotes. The new stand uses a set of lithium polymer batteries, which, according to the press release, are half as heavy as other rechargeables and work over hundreds of charges. Each charge provides 25 hours of gameplay. The stand can charge two Wiimotes side-by-side.But all of that is just a leadup to the real magic trick that separates this thing from other chargers: it charges without any metal contacts, and will charge a battery through a silicone cover. If you actually use your Wii Remote Jackets, you can leave them on when you dock your Wiimotes to charge. That is really, really cool. No word on whether or not this charger will melt your controllers.
Wii Warm Up: Essential equipment
There are certain things that we, as gamers, just need to have. Wavebird controllers, Classic controllers and a rechargeable battery solution for our Wiimotes are just a few of these things. What would you say is essential equipment for your Wii? What peripherals and other equipment can you not live without? Your Zapper? Your Wavebirds, like us? Your Wiimote jackets? What is it?
Forum post of the day: Get your motor runnin'
I love motorcycles. Always have, and I probably always will. I was very excited to see that Blizzard is introducing them in Wrath of the Lich King. I'll probably spec engineering on most of my characters just to make my own little biker gang. Wouldn't it be great to see a guild rolling around looking like Fel's Angels? But how would others know you are a guild? Stonewhisper of Scarlet Crusade suggested some additional accessories from other crafters. I like his idea of having guild jackets for raiding. He also suggested using engineering for performance modifications. Something like a rocket fuel for a nitrous-oxide-like speed boost.* I could see a world of after-market parts for WoW bikes: blacksmiths could sell sissy seats and wheelie bars. Tailors could make saddle bags to add to carrying capacity. Taurens and Draenei would probably need some kind of suspension upgrade.
Paul Coudamy's Hard-Wear jacket watches your back when no one else will
Let's face it, the streets are rough these days. And just because someone admits to having your back, that doesn't mean they won't turn and run in the heat of battle. Granted, the very spark that sets off said conflict could be this questionably designed coat, but we digress. Paul Coudamy's Hard-Wear jacket includes a totally inconspicuous camera on the rear which reportedly beams happenings onto a wrist-worn LCD. Not exactly James Bond type material here, but we suppose it'll do for the double-o in training. Take all those orange blocks away and your chances of being looked at would decline remarkably, wouldn't you think?[Via Talk2MyShirt]
Wii Warm Up: Wearing the jacket
We did send away for our Wiimote jackets back when it was first revealed Nintendo would be giving customers free protective sleeves, but our freebies never arrived. It's just as well, because we're pretty sure we would've never put on the damn thing anyway.What about you all? Did you send away for one, or multiple, jackets? Do you find you need it? Can't stand it? What say you all?
Look even more like an obsessive Nintendo player
Haven't quite got the look of someone who plays Nintendo games endlessly, over and over and over again, tracking every minute detail? Also, are you cold? This jacket addresses both of those issues. Looking on the front like a letterman jacket -- just like the cool kids would wear (and also the kids who lettered in spelling), the jacket features an evicted cockroach on the back with the phrase "Nintendo Product Testing -- The Bug Stops Here" on the back.The seller, who is also selling a bunch of other rare Nintendo stuff, claims that this was given to an employee at Nintendo's North Bend location. We haven't seen it at Hot Topic, at least.[Via GameSniped]
Bundle up with Space Invaders this winter
While it's true that we love almost anything that has to do with Space Invaders, this jacket is particularly drool-worthy. This isn't the first time that we've seen Space Invaders be fashionable, but for only 239 Denmark Kroner ($47 USD), this retro piece of yum is right up our alley.The catch? This jacket (made by Scandinavian design label Junk de Luxe) is only being sold, to our knowledge, at this Danish shop. If you can make it through the foreign language checkout, it seems like they will ship internationally. Since our Danish is really rusty, though (as in, we've never actually spoken any before), we can't actually be sure[Via Technabob]
Wii Sports still fun even with Wiimote jackets
NEWS FLASH: Nintendo's hit minigame collection Wii Sports can still be played, even after the addition of a squishy silicone sleeve to the Wii Remote. That's the message that Nintendo hopes to get out with these new videos, which depict normal, everyday families and friends enjoying Wii Sports. The three videos (the top three on the list, with the "new" labels) are all captioned with "Played using the Wii Remote jacket."We know we were worried that making the Wiimote more comfortable to hold would ruin our baseball swing, but this is apparently not the case! We're happy to spread the cheerful news that the remote jacket in no way seems to hamper the ability of these Wii fans to bowl, box, or be shrill.[Via NeoGAF]
Joystiq hands-on: Wiimote Jacket
Just in time for the winter, Nintendo has offered a free Wiimote Jacket to keep its controllers cozy. And by "cozy," we mean, "potential-lawsuit free." All of the demo controllers at Nintendo's "Fall Media Summit" had been fitted with the silicon sock. In my use, the extra layer added bulk, but the result felt about the same as -- and occasionally better than -- an unprotected controller.The sleeve attaches tightly to the sides of the Wii Remote, only adding a few millimeters around the waist. More thickness at the bottom -- perhaps for pounding in that annoying straighten-the-papers WarioWare game -- adds about another centimeter of girth.But the bulb-shaped top is significantly bigger than the naked Wiimote. Its spongy feel should absorb a lot of energy; I could imagine unintentionally hitting a table or younger sibling without causing injury. I was concerned that the bigger shape would ruin horizontal, NES-style games, but I ended up liking it a little more than the plain Wiimote. My left hand has always felt cramped next to the D-pad, and the Jacket gives it more to hold.The Jacket also includes a port cover for use without the Nunchuk. I was mildly annoyed by moving the flap to plug in attachments, but gamers could cut that part off of their own Jackets. (See the gallery for a closer view.)We've shrugged at Nintendo's 18-million dollar move seemingly to preempt American lawsuits. But even minimalist-preferring adult gamers may like the cover's extra size.%Gallery-8512%
Nintendo cares about Wiimote safety
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Nintendo_cares_about_Wiimote_safety'; Nintendo announced that all new Wii systems, Wii Remotes and Wii Play bundles will now come packaged with one of these cushy-looking Wii Remote Jackets. The new bundles are shipping out today, and expected in stores by the 15th. (Side note: expect Wiis in stores on the 15th?) The design of the things completely kills the simple aesthetic Nintendo was going for with the Wiimote, while really driving home the feeling of safety with the enormous padded helmet on the top of the controller.If you don't want to buy a new Wii or Wiimote just for one of these, then you can get up to four free from Nintendo. North American customers can order them online or call 1-866-431-8367; Japanese customers fill out the form here; and Australian Wii owners call (03) 9730 9822. We're sure there will be an option for Europe as well, but Nintendo of Europe has yet to provide the information.This news comes just three days before the release date of the NERF Wiimote sleeve. That's a shame. A shame that results in big savings for you!
Zegna Sport integrating ElekTex controls in Bluetooth iJACKET
If you're fairly confident that you've seen an iJacket from Zegna before, you'd be right, but the case-sensitive iJACKET is upping the ante by including Bluetooth along with Eleksen's ElekTex smart fabric controls. Dubbed "communication clothing," the coat will reportedly enable users to "use their cellphone and simultaneously listen to music on their iPod," which is sure to result in quite a few incomprehensible conversations. Nevertheless, wearers will be able to mange both their handset and DAP through a "sleek control embedded in the jacket sleeve," and you can even expect the music volume to decrease when you receive an incoming call. Of course, all these luxuries won't come cheap (especially on a Zegna), but even we think "starting at $1,700" is a bit extreme.
